3 Charged With Harassing Anti-drinking Activist

GUILFORD — Three senior girls were abruptly pulled out of their classrooms at Guilford High School Thursday morning and into police custody.

The girls, who allegedly called themselves ``Sloshed Teens Acting Retarded Together,'' were charged with harassing a fellow student who has taken a stand against underage drinking.

Police sent a powerful message by arresting the girls at the school, acting School Superintendent Barbara Truex said.

``This is not child's play,'' Truex said. ``These things have ramifications that go beyond a prank.''

The arrests of Nicole Wahnowsky, Sarah Bilskis and Erin Spillane, all 17, came after they left a headless scarecrow and hand-scrawled messages for fellow student Allison DeMusis the night before Halloween, police said. They were accompanied by a fourth girl, whose arrest is expected soon, police said.

DeMusis is co-president of the high school group Sober Teens Acting Responsibly Together.

The group sponsored a homecoming dance Oct. 10 -- a dance that was shut down early when about 125 students showed up drunk.

According to police, Wahnowsky, Bilskis and Spillane drove to Sugar Loaf Road in North Guilford late the night of Oct. 30 and left the scarecrow on the front step of what they thought was DeMusis' house.

The girls allegedly stuffed several handwritten messages in the mailbox as well. In addition to a note mocking the name of the anti-drinking group, police said, the girls left others that read, ``Senior Chicks 99,'' ``Seniors 99 Cat It Up'' and ``Making Our Mark, Senior Girls 99.''

There was one glitch, police said: The girls stuffed the messages in the wrong mailbox and left the scarecrow at the wrong house. DeMusis' neighbor found them the next morning and called police.

Wahnowsky, of Water Street, was charged with harassment. Bilskis, of Mill Stone Drive, and Spillane, of West Lake Avenue, were charged with harassment, trespassing and disorderly conduct.

Bilskis and Spillane were also charged with forgery because they were carrying false driver's licenses, police said. All three were released pending court appearances Nov. 17.

Wahnowsky did not return a call to her home Thursday. Bilskis could not be reached for comment, and Spillane's father declined to comment.

Debbie DeMusis said her daughter, after going through the ordeal, did not wish to talk about the arrests.

But acting high school Principal Marilynn Sturgess said she spoke to DeMusis on Thursday.